Seeking the Departed Seeker
by ColonelKillaBee
Summary: A quest to stop what Trevelyan has been hoping to prevent from the start, Cassandra leaving his side. Romance, adventure, dead Venatori, what's not to love? And Iron-Bull's in it. Best part. He told me to say that. Continuation from 'Sins of a Seeker'. There will be more stories, but not as chapters.


"Oh Heeeerald..."

"Maker, spare me please..."

"Sorry, no Maker. Just you, me and the cards like ye promised. Andraste's got somethin on keepin promises, right?" asked Sera, tossing her deck of cards from hand to hand.

"She does, but no offense to my fair lady, she did leave her husband for a god. So there's obviously some wiggle room in there." Looking around the courtyard as his blonde hair collected snowflakes like flies in a web, he said, "Where's Cassandra?"

Smirking that childish suggestive smirk that she always used, Sera said, "I dunno, probly wonderin where you are, or hiding from the cold. Why, lookin to..."

"Sera..."

"Is that blushing? Are you blushing? Ha, the big bad Inquisitor, slayer of would be gods can't handle a little tawdry talk? Come on, I got to see you outside of your skivvies! That practically makes us family, right? Brother and sister or something. Parents make them bathe together, right? Strange."

Sighing, Trevelyan said, "Okay look, if I play the game with you, will you help me look for Cassandra? She wasn't there this morning and I haven't been able t-,"

"Ooh, so you two already..."

"Blasted elf, would you just!"

"Alright alright, come on then," she said, giggling as she skipped off to a nearby table. Shaking his head, Trevelyan followed mumbling under his breath, the steam rising from his mouth being a clear indication of it.

As she sat, she said, "So rosy cheeks is being made Divine. Never would've gathered her for the snooty hoity toity type."

"She's not," said Trevelyan. "She won't be like that. And Rosy Cheeks?"

Smirking again with a flush of red in her own cheeks, Sera said, "Well those lads take a vow of celimany right? How's that gonna work?"

"It's celibacy," he said as Sera dealt him his hand. Serpent of Sadness, two Angels, of Truth and Charity, then a Knight of Sacrifice.

"Well whateva. How's the Herald going to get off with the Divine if she has to make that oath? Ooh, will you do it in secret?"

Sighing, he ignored the question and said, "Just give me another card."

Sera did as she was told, then did the same. Her child-like demeanor did her no favors. "Good hand, I take it," he said.

"Maybe…" said Sera, though her smile sank some at the expression of their illustrious leader. "I take it that's why you're looking to find her. Spend as much time with her. Before…"

"Angel of Death, game over. Show your hand."

"Aww, already? Care for another go?"

"No, show your hand."

"Damn it," she said, dropping the cards she was just about to sneak into her hand.

"One pairing, huh? Too bad. Three Angels. Truth, Charity, Fortitude. I win."

"Damn it, you drew all Angel cards? You even got the Angel of Death to end the game before…"

"Before you could cheat like you do in every game? I know. What can I say? Andraste watches over me. Now, help me find Cassandra."

Sera said, "No need to go lookin for her, silly. Just ask Cole. I saw her talking to him this morning. He'll know, and he can track her for you with that weird demony freaky mind thing he does. Right?"

"You're right, thank you Sera. And thanks for the game." Trevelyan ran off in a hurry towards the kitchen, knowing full well that's where he'd be. Sera didn't notice that one of the cards in the game was missing, but that's because there was one card extra. One that the Herald slipped back in his sleeve, with the depiction of a winged woman in black and a skull in her hands. She didn't notice the smirk he was sporting as he left either.

"GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN, FIEND!"

"FORGET! FORGET!"

"I'm going to forget my foot in your ass unless you quit stealing my FOOD!"

As the Herald stepped inside, cautiously at all the ruckus, a potato came flying towards his head, only barely missing before crashing into the wall behind him.

"Maker's breath was that a potato or a stone? What the HELL's going on?"

"This FREAK came into my kitchen and just started taking all my meats! Hams, sausages, drumlegs. And what happened to my cheese?"

Cole stood up from behind a table, flour and rice covering his strange helmet. "I forgot he couldn't forget me. I just wanted the meats for a friend. They're sad, and I thought the meats would help. Sera says people like to eat when they're sad."

"Oh, well that was very thoughtful of you. What about the cheese?"

"I… ate the cheese."

"You WHAT? That's all the mountain cheese I had left! All there is now is that stinky Orlesian cheese!"

Cole said, "Actually…"

"Ahhhh!" yelled the cook.

"Quiet! If that's all the cheese you have on hand, then you're not doing your job, cook, because you're supposed to make sure we're always well stocked. Go borrow some of the plainer cheese from the soldier's rations and give us a moment."

"R-right. As you wish, Inquisitor…" The cook bowed his head and did as he was told, but made sure to cut Cole a murderous glance on his way out.

Jumping at the sound of the slammed door, Trevelyan's hand rested at his head before saying, "Cole, I thought you didn't even eat food."

"I don't really have to, but Varric got me to try it. I like it. Would you like some ham?"

"Actually, I-"

"Please. Take it."

"What about your friend?"

Cole gave a rare smile and said, "They're fine. Take it."

Trevelyan hesitated, but he couldn't resist for long at the smell of freshly smoked ham and sausage. Smiling, he said, "Thank you Cole. Now…" After taking seat and a few large bites of the ham, he choked the offering down, then said, "I need your help. Sera told me that you were talking with Cassandra this morning. That true? Where is she?"

Cole backed up a bit, frowning beneath the hanging leather of his helmet. "I… can't."

Practically inhaling the sausage now, Trevelyan stopped eating momentarily and said, "You can't? What do you mean you can't? This is important to me, boy."

"She made me promise not to tell."

Trevelyan dropped the food then, standing up so quickly that the chair fell back. "Promised not to tell? Cole, I'm not kidding. Tell me where she is, NOW. You want to help people, right? Help me."

Cole worked his hands as he lowered his head, turning away from him. "Cold, tired, but sure. Sure that he must have finally decided to speak after so many ages of silence. I must go, find the answer that I seek in my prayers. An answer to what I should do."

"Not this again, Cole, speak clearly! What's going on?"

Before he could elaborate, the door behind him flew open, smacking the fallen chair aside in a clatter. "Boss! Come on, quick!"

Turning, the Herald said, "Maker, please! I'm busy here! What do you want, Bull?"

"I need a sparring partner and Cass isn't around. Come on already, I need to hit something, now!"

"I'm looking for Cassandra now too. Cole knows where she is and he's speaking all cryptic again."

"Cole!" yelled Bull.

"She's there!" said Cole, not liking all the yelling and attention on him.

"There where?" yelled Trevelyan.

"I'll show you. It may take a day's journey on horse to catch up with her. I think she may need our help, anyway," said Cole.

Trevelyan's nostrils flared as his brow wrinkled. "First Blackwall, then Solas, and now this. When will people learn that I can actually HELP them? Lets go. Fetch Varric too and meet me by the main gate."

After he left, Cole followed behind him and said, "I think you'll get to hit something very soon, Iron Bull."

"I don't know if I should be happy or worried… Ahh, who am I kidding, hehehe. Should be fun."

"This… is not… fun…"

"Tell me about it," said Varric to Bull. The group found themselves back in the woods near the Fallow Mire, shivering in the cold from the rain in the cool night, bodies glistening under the pale moonlight.

Spitting rainwater that seeped over his lips from his moustache, the inquisitor said, "You could have told me we'd be coming back here, Cole. We would have brought cloaks or something…"

"At least you're wearing a leather coat already, boss," said Bull.

"Aren't you used to walking around like that yet? That's how we found you, after all," said Varric.

"I was in higher spirits then, having killed something recently. Would you like to help me with that? Hehe, just kidding dwarf."

"It's not much further," said Cole, noticeably unbothered by the rain thanks to his strange helmet. "Just follow the trail."

"What trail is that?" Trevelyan asked.

"The trail in the veil of course. It's considerably weaker, here. The weaker it gets, the closer we get to Cassandra."

"Cole, I'm not kidding, tell me something right now. I'm not liking the sound of any of this."

"It's simple, really. The Seeker said that she was looking for an old friend. But I don't think she was telling the truth."

"About looking for her friend?" asked Trevelyan, running his hands through his beard to get the water out in vain.

"No, about them being friends. They've never met. Not really."

"Sorry to cut in, but you said something about a trail? We could always just follow that," said Varric.

Following the direction Bianca was pointing, the Inquisitor spotted what he was looking at rather quickly. "Blood" he said, and soon after, bodies.

The group ran towards the barren sea of dead trees and fallen leaves, soon finding that the bodies were wearing the familiar spiky attire of their most recent enemy.

"Venatori? They're still around? I guess they didn't hear the news of their god's death?" said Iron Bull.

"These ones over here don't have any blood on them. Strange," said Varric. "Both mages too."

"I bet Cassandra was here! She'd kill them with her Seeker abilities!" said Trevelyan. "There's not a trail of blood or anything though from here. Don't know if that's good or bad."

"Good of course, I would think," said Varric, snickering a bit. "But it would be nice to have something to follow her with though. The kid's little veil sensing thing is decent, but who knows how far away we are from her. Too vague."

"Cole? Can you give us something more? We-," Just as Trevelyan was speaking, the four of them heard shouting and the clash of metal in the distance, which all of them ran to immediately to find the source.

A crackle of lightning lit up the night, followed by the sound of something solid smacking into a man's armor, which was soon accompanied by the screams of the victim. By the time the Inquisitor cleared the treeline, he could see a group of eight Venatori attacking one of the gigantic Avvar men and his appropriately

sized warhammer, already coated in blood.

"The large one attacked the Seeker. These Tevinter actually saved her," said Cole.

"Saved her? Really? Why?"

"I don't know," said Cole.

"Probably to keep her prisoner, boss. No mercy. Can I get the big one?"

"No, Bull. He's mine. Here's the plan…"

"Come and taste my hammer!" yelled the barbarian as he charged another Venatori. The Tevinter warrior raised his shield, only to have the hammer smash his arm and knock himself in the head. He crumbled quickly in his immediate death, in time to dodge the lightning arc that his fellow cultist intended on sending through him to strike their foe.

The attack still hit its mark, temporarily paralyzing the massive man, but not before the hammer was sent flying in his direction, breaking his neck upon impact. He wasn't dead yet, but he wished he was.

As he ran to reclaim his weapon, the Avvar barbarian recoiled as a bolt buried itself straight into his hand flesh. Crying out, teeth clenched, his head spun around in a rage looking for the assailant.

"Ah ah," said Varric, before shooting again, this time a grappling hook that caught the back of his neck.

The Inquisitor caught the attention of the other nearby Venatori with his battle cry, which was met with spouts of flame that ceased their advances on the face of his shield. Before another assault came, a dark figure hurtled over him in the night, and all the Venatori could see was his large horned form with the moon at his back, just before cleaving through their necks. Iron Bull's laugh sent chills up the spine of the lone cultist, who dropped his daggers and tried running away.

However, something caught his foot, causing him to land face first in the dirt, knocking his helmet off.

He didn't just fall though. Now he was being dragged. When he turned, he could see the glare of the angered Inquisitor pulling his body towards him with a chain wrapped around his foot. The Venatori tried scrambling away, but before he knew it, Trevelyan's boot was at his chest, and all he could see was the blue of his eyes amongst the shadow of night.

"Where is the Seeker?"

"She's there, North, just up ahead, I swear. Mercy!"

"Before when you thought you were serving a god, you Venatori never would have begged for your life. And now that he is dead, so too is your courage."

Shaking his head, he said, "The Herald of Andraste has deemed you unworthy of the Maker's Mercy. Begone." With that, Trevelyan's gauntleted hand grasped the Venatori's head tight as his left hand began to glow. The man thought he was having a headache at first, but the pain grew, and soon his eyes, nostrils and mouth cast out the green light of the anchor upon Trevelyan's hand. His screams were unholy, a thing so harsh that it could crack stone. And before too long, nothing remained where his head once was. It now belonged to the fade.

Meanwhile, Iron Bull was cleaving through two of the three remaining Venatori with his claymore, one of them noticing the lost eye and trying to strike at him from that side after sidestepping Iron Bull's blade.

Iron Bull knew what was coming however, letting him think he was vulnerable, only to find themselves walking right into Bull's next attack, which hit the man's armor so hard, Bull could hear the crunch of his collar bone and ribs before the man collapsed.

Bull didn't notice the second man brandishing daggers, but just as the man leaped at Bull's huge exposed wall of muscle that he called a back, a skinny hand suddenly appeared before his face, sending him falling to the ground on his knees.

Cole stood over him, dagger at his temple just before burying it deep. The last man's weapon meanwhile was knocked from his hands, and in a desperate attempt to gain advantage, the Venatori leaped for Iron Bull's horns, only to catch one in his ribs deep before being lifted over Bull's head. "Thanks, kid."

"Guys? a little help here?" called Varric, trying hard not to lose Bianca to the angry Avvar yanking at the chain around his neck. Just when Varric thought he'd lose his grip, another chain went around with a noose and tightened so hard, he could see the Avvar's eyes bulge.

"Pull!" yelled Trevelyan, and pull they did. The large barbarian man died slow, and with the sound of his bones being crushed going together with the ringing of the chains like the consonance of death.

Finally, the chains were free of their captive. Bloodied, but free as they slid from his open neck hole, head rolling to the grass and settling in a crimsoned puddle beneath deep green lilies. The body remained crouched on both knees where he fell as he suffocated to death as he was being decapitated. Iron Bull offered to make a bet with Cole as to which would get him first, one that Cole chose not to take.

"And that's that," said the inquisitor, spitting on his corpse. "Anyone alive?"

"Hnnhhh!"

"Caught one, boss," said Iron Bull, pointing at the groaning man still caught on his horn above him.

"This one still breathes as well," said Cole. "Where first I had rage, now I only have pain. Had pain. Now it is gone. Now I wish it to return, for now I only feel numb. Numb and cold. And soon I will feel nothing. Let me feel pain, so that I will know I am alive. Our living god is dead. There is only silence from here on."

"If it's pain he wants, then give it to him," said the Inquisitor. "I already know where Cassandra is."

"Allow me," said Bull, throwing his man atop the Venatori on the ground. He was the same man that caught the Avvar's hammer with his head and broke his neck. But he'd feel pain only once more, as Iron Bull thrust his sword through the mouth of the first one, going through the back of his head and into the last one's mouth next. The blood dripped from his ally's open wound as the blade was birthed, pouring the head's contents slow. He could only watch, but not for very long as red clouded his vision. Then he waited for the pain that he asked for. Once to confirm life, but now simply to die.

"Haha, brings a new meaning to double-,"

"Don't!" Yelled Varric. "Oh please, don't say it."

"What?"

"Come on, Bull," said the Inquisitor, shaking his head.

"What?"

"He seems disturbed," said Cole. "You are gross."

"Wait, you think I'm gross?"

"I didn't say that."

"He thinked it though. Thinks it."

"Cole, stop doing that!"

"Varric, you don't think I'm gross, do you? With your books, you understand me, right?"

"I'm not involved. I'd like to keep it that way."

"That's enough, Cassandra is nearby!" Trevelyan yelled. The four of them took off, not at all sure what to expect next as they dove deeper into the woods beyond the clearing they'd just fought in. Varric was starting to lag behind after a while, cursing his short legs.

"Remind me why we decided to leave the horses back at camp?"

"They weren't ideal for going through woods when we had to do some tracking and clue searching," yelled Bull.

"Oh, well that sure turned out to be a good idea. We never would have seen all the blood and armored bodies if we hadn't left the horses behind…"

"It's not much further," Cole added. "The veil's,"

"I know I know. Very weak, which means we're 'close'. You've been saying that for the last five minutes."

"There! Up ahead! I see a light!" yelled Trevelyan.

"Finally!" said Varric through his heavy panting. Pulling Bianca from his back, he took a look in the distance as the others stopped suddenly.

"What is that?"

"Is that…"

"I don't think I can hit that…" said Bull. "Hey, there!"

"Cassandra!"

Turning only briefly in surprise, the Seeker that they'd ironically been seeking turned her attention back to what she was doing. Killing more Venatori, which she'd clearly gotten rather efficient at. Ignoring the bright glow that settled itself above them like a miniature sun, Cassandra waited just as the mages began to cast their spells, then with a bellowing cry, released a shockwave of energy that knocked them back. The Inquisitor and the others were knocked back as well momentarily, but it was the mages that were in danger. Like a lioness, she leaped for her prey, her expression more shocking than any mage's spell.

Already covered in splatters of blood, the Seeker once more letted theirs, as they laid. Never to rise again.

Trevelyan came up behind her and was greeted with a fierce squeeze as she fell into his arms wearily. "I knew you would come. Took your sweet time, though." The Herald allowed himself to laugh finally, now that she was safe in his arms, though he couldn't really tell if she was injured or not with all the blood coating her. He stole a kiss from her anyway though, not caring about anything but being close to the woman he admired so deeply.

A few moments went by with the clicks and smacks of their lips, before Trevelyan finally broke the silence.

"What is this? Why didn't you just ask me to come? And why tell Cole not to tell me where you went if you expected me?"

Turning their heads slowly together towards the light above them, Cassandra said, "It's… a long story. I needed to do this on my own. But I knew you'd find me somehow. Cole's bad at keeping secrets anyway."

Cole came up behind them with Varric and Iron Bull, saying, "And you're very good at keeping them, Seeker. It's a spirit of faith. The same spirit of faith that the Seekers used to wake her mind. The Venatori somehow found it, then used it to call to her. As a trap."

"But how? What was the point? How did they even know about the Seeker ritual?" asked Trevelyan.

"The Seekers under Corypheus might have given this information up to him. In which case, it's very possible that the Venatori knew of it from them. They've betrayed me, the Seekers, Thedas and themselves. I am only glad that they no longer can continue to do so."

Trevelyan's eyes were still transfixed on the spirit before them, as Cassandra rested on his shoulders. "It looks like the form the Divine took," he said. "But it can't be her… who is it? Cole?"

"I… don't know."

"You don't know? You can't just read her like always?" asked Cassandra.

"No, I can. It's just that she doesn't remember… she is very old."

"I wouldn't let her hear you say that," said Varric. "Not with the way she's staring us down. Can we go home now? Seeker?"

Trevelyan interrupted and said, "Cole said that you were seeking an answer. The answer to what?"

Cassandra's smile from being near him again faded almost instantly. "Lets get… home… first. Varric is right. Then we will talk."

"We spar first, Seeker. _Then_ you two can talk."

"I've seen your 'sparring' matches, Bull… I think you just like Cassandra hitting you," said Trevelyan, snickering beneath his beard. "Sorry, but Cass and I will be busy when we get back."

"Quit rubbing it in, I know what busy means, boss."

"Good! Then you all know not to disturb me while I'm in my chambers, right?"

"Hmph, I still say we should decide things over a drinking contest."

"Only because you know you'd win."

"Exactly," said Bull.

"Do I not get a say in any of this? There will be no contests over me. That suggests that both contestants are of equal standing to my desires."

"You're right, there's no comparing to the Iron Bull."

"That's not what… oh forget it, I asked for none of this," said Cassandra, laughing it off with the others as they made their way back to Skyhold.

"Ahhh, finally!" proclaimed the Inquisitor, as he collapsed on his bed, the aches of travel melting away almost instantly. He soon found Cassandra with him, falling over his back and shrouding him in her safe warmth.

"It feels good to be home again," she agreed. "But you smell like a marsh. Come here."

"Oh, I just closed my eyes… can't we just sleep?"

"If that's what you want…" said Cassandra, just before the sounds of splashing water caught his attention. Turning over, Trevelyan saw Cassandra's clothes on the floor, trailing towards a very large wooden basin meant to be used for a bath. Eyes wide with delight at what Cassandra was suggesting, he said, "How the hell did they even get this up here?"

"I made Iron Bull fetch it for me," said Cassandra, sporting a mischievous smile.

Laughing, he said, "You made Iron Bull fetch our bath? That's… evil."

"Is it? I call it retribution for all those terrible jokes he makes us suffer through. He was very interested in the bath, that's for certain. He could surely use one himself."

"He'll have to get his own," said Trevelyan as he began to shed clothing. Cassandra watched with very tentative eyes, trailing down his hairy barrel chest, just as the pants made their way to the floor. Her eyes widened as her smile deepened, but just a tad. Can't appear too eager, now.

As he made his way in, Cassandra scooted towards him and sat in his lap as they both sank a bit deeper into the warm waters before resting their eyes. "We should do this every night," he said.

"Heh, if we do, we'll have to do so on the bottom level, I think."

He thought to say that the others might catch an eye full, but then remembered…

"You still haven't told me about this answer you were looking for."

Sighing, she said, "I know."

At a whisper now, he said, "Well?"

Cass hadn't said anything. Choosing instead to drift away in sleep a moment as she tried imprinting this memory with them together forever into her brain. The feel of the warm waters, his flesh hot at her back… the feel of his manhood floating up and brushing her thighs beneath her. She especially liked that part.

Playing at it with her hands now, her eyes cracked open as she watched him. She could feel him hardening more and more at her touch. She teased him, rocking back and forth in his lap as the waters splashed. He was enjoying the view very much, and she had the proof of that firmly within her grasp.

"You know what answer… I heard the whispers. They were familiar to me. I did not think they could be demonic, Seekers can't be possessed. I thought they were the Maker's. But then I knew it wasn't. I could feel it. Solas before he departed told me once that it's possible for the spirit of faith that touched my mind to maintain a connection if it wished. I wanted to see it again, see if I could find any of the maker within such a being. And then maybe he could tell me what to do."

"You mean about becoming Divine."

Turning fully to look into his eyes, she said, "Yes."

"I thought you were already decided," he said, eyes looking down from hers as he spoke. He didn't want to think of the day she'd leave him while they still had time, but it was inevitable.

"It was. It is, I guess. You just make it so hard to leave. Lets not think on it now, please. I'm sorry that I left. I was just…" _Looking for an excuse to stay. Ask me to stay…_

"It's fine, Cass. Lets not worry, like you said. You'll be a great Divine, and we'll still be together somehow. I promise."

Cassandra's eyes started to moisten at that. She knew the fool loved her too much to keep her to himself and hold her back. And she was too afraid to ask him to. Too compelled to do her duty to the Maker.

But tonight, she would do her duty by him. Seizing his mouth, her eyes shut fiercely to keep the tears at bay. Her hand worked their way through the hairs of his chest, up and down before finding his slicked manhood once more. She took her time, enjoying the feeling of his cock in her hand as his tongue invaded her mouth. Soon, she could feel her body aching for him in her pelvis, and it wasn't very long before she was straddled over him, engulfing the entirety of his cock, sighing and gasping sharply for each inch he crept into her. By the time she was seated, he could feel himself budding into her fully, and it wasn't long before the soon to be Divine was wetting more than the floors with her riding.

Half the tub's water was on the stone by now, but neither of them cared. Trevelyan's eyes were stuck with hers as she gyrated over him, using him for her pleasure as she watched him groan beneath her with lust laden eyes.

He tried gripping her ass, but she was so slick and wet everywhere. Still, he was determined, and soon he stood with her grasping his neck, legs locked around him as his hands gripped her firm cheeks. Pinning her to door, he took control of things, thrusting and thrusting, then thrusting some more with the power of his strong legs at his disposal. The door shook and rattled, and she quaked and prattled, thrilled and even slightly afraid of the intensity of which he took her.

Then, without warning he dropped to his knees, and suddenly the sensation of his tongue was on her. In her. Through her. She just about lost her senses as his hand ran up her stomach, his face buried between her legs. He groaned inside her as her leg rubbed his back, rubbing at his open willing lips bathing in the scent of her groin.

"Stand." she commanded, and he obeyed. As he rose, her head ducked. Tongue trailing down his stomach before her lips pushed down over his meat between them. She watched his stomach suck in intensely as she went about her task, letting him watch her pleasure herself as her head bobbed slow, then quicker and quicker. She took breaks to lick and kiss at him before taking him in again, letting him feel her mouth vibrate from her groans while her fingers tickled him from under.

He couldn't take anymore and soon he was near. Hand on her head to assist her motions, he plucked himself from her mouth and slammed her against the door once more, grunting as their bodies ground against one another. His pelvis slapping against her round ass as they stood.

When she couldn't control herself and let her voice carry, he turned her and entered her once more, silencing her cries with his mouth as she clenched around him, tightening and quivering over his skin deep within her as she came into her climax, radiating through every fiber of muscle she had.

When it has his turn to come, there would be no silencing him. His cries carried out like a warhorn announcing the successful invasion of an enemy hold.

Sucking at his ear as he came, she continued groaning into them, smiling at the feeling of his seed dripping from the bottom of her ass. Their juices mingling and falling freely over his sack and tickling his hairs.

As he sucked and kissed at her wet neck, tongue sliding up her slow, tasting the water on her skin, she echoed the same thought that she had throughout their joining.

_Ask me to stay. Please. Ask me to stay and I will remain by your side…_

"Cassandra…"

"Yes, love?"

__Stay with me. __"I… love you."

Her legs were still spread wide for him, and she was still being parted by his cock inside her. At that moment, she had never felt so vulnerable. She couldn't help it then when she began to cry uncontrollably with her arms around his neck. But when he pulled back to look into her weeping eyes, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of tears in his.

Wiping the tears from her eyes did nothing. They just kept coming. Even as they continued kissing long into the night, for they knew not when they'd get the chance to do so again.

_Dead whispers. Was this what it sounded like for him? I wonder._

That was the thought going through his mind… Dead whispers, the sweet memories of her voice that were nothing but voices in his head, absent of the woman they belonged to.

Cassandra. Was gone.

Trevelyan hadn't left his chambers for a couple days now, told the others he needed some vacation time. Truth was, he didn't know when he'd leave at the time. The only thing that remained of her was the smell of her scent in his sheets. When he slept, it was enough to make him dream of her. But then, he woke up this morning to find that Josephine had come to tend to him personally. No doubt feeling the need to help her friend. One of the ways she did that was by replacing his old sheets with new ones. Blasted girl.

Even still, the tears came. Hot like rage demons crawling down his cheeks.

A knock came from the door so strong, so suddenly that for a moment, his heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Cassandra getting ready to knock down his door.

"It's open, come in!" He said, clearly excited. That excitement betrayed him when Bull's horns came poking in. Now not only was he depressed, but now he felt stupid as well.

"Boss, what's this about Cassandra leaving? Where is she? We going on a hunt to find her or what?"

_Andraste's Ass._ "No Bull. Not this time."

"Why the hell not? What happened?"

Trevelyan didn't say anything for a moment, then closed his eyes. "She's going to be Divine, Bull."

"What? You're serious? Ha, I thought that was a joke when Red told me. Wait, you really are serious? And you're just going to let her?"

Trevelyan laughed at that. "Let her? I couldn't keep her from doing anything and you know it."

"Bullshit. I'm the Iron Bull. I know Bull shit. That, boss, is bullshit."

"Watch your tone, Bull. This is what she wanted."

"No it isn't, you stupid son of a bitch!" Before Trevelyan knew what was going on, he was being lifted almost as easily as he'd lifted Cassandra on their last night together.

"This isn't what you want Boss. This isn't what she wants. She wants you, we all see it. You can't let the chantry have her."

"Bull?"

"Yea? Ack!" Bull took a step back and released the Herald, rubbing his bloodied head, though the blood wasn't actually his.

With crimson trickling down his face, the Inquisitor said, "Don't EVER do that again."

"Tougher than I thought. With you being such a bitch and everything."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, Boss! You can't let yourselves be miserable."

"Well what the hell am I supposed to do? She's already gone anyway!"

"She's not Divine yet! Grab your balls, and face the Chantry, then take those old bags by the horns! Act like a qunari!"

"It's not that simple, Bull."

"You mean to tell me after traveling through time, fighting through the fade, killing countless demons and a creature that was almost a god, you can't handle a bunch of old women in robes? Come ON!"

That got the Herald's attention. "I'm afraid of no one."

"Then take. What's. Yours."

"...We still need a Divine."

"They can pick. Someone. Else. It's not our responsibility," said Bull.

"...Cassandra may feel better though if we have a viable second option."

"Then how about Red?" asked Bull.

He thought about it, then said, "N...no. No no. Cassandra made it clear she didn't see her as fit for the Sunburst throne…. I know. Bull, pack your stuff. We've got a coronation to crash."

"NOW you're talking! Yes! What's the plan?"

"Grab Vivienne and Dorian, and tell them we're taking a little trip to Val Royeaux!"


End file.
